A soldier from the Queen’s elite bodyguard corps has walked free from court after drunkenly punching a pregnant 17-year-old in the stomach after a pub crawl.

Marc Thomson, 18, and his victim were playfighting but he hit her so hard she drew blood, a court was told.

She rushed to the toilet and spotted the bleeding in the mirror after the incident at the Hyde Park barracks of the Household Cavalry, which acts as the monarch’s official bodyguard.

Thomson claimed he was so drunk he could not remember the incident but admitted assault by beating at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Matthew Barrowcliffe, prosecuting, said: ‘The complainant at the time was 17 years of age, also pregnant at the time of the offence. The two were simply friends.

‘They had been out for a night out, they had been to various drinking establishments.

‘The defendant grabbed the complainant by the clothing having been annoyed and having a go at her.

The prosecutor continued: ‘There were two others outside smoking.

‘At one point the defendant punched the victim once in the stomach so she went to the toilet and discovered that she was bleeding as a result of the incident.’

Thomson’s defence lawyer, Kane Sharpe, said: ‘He was genuinely perplexed by the allegation. He was drunk and has no real memory of the incident.’

Thomson had just been ‘messing around’ and claimed the injury to the girl was less harmful than suggested, Mr Sharpe added.

He continued: ‘This is without a doubt a reckless assault. He has fallen from grace some might say after this reckless act under the influence.

‘It started off with play fighting and then went a little bit too far.’

The barrister said Thomson was described as ‘kind’ and ‘shy’ by his peers and that his superior officer spoke of him in ‘glowing terms’, adding: ‘He will be dealt with in-house as well.

Thomson, originally from Scotland, was given a community order, a £500 fine and a two-month curfew.

He will also face disciplinary action by his barracks commanders who could hand him 28 days’ confinement with military training at Colchester.

The lead magistrate, Jeffrey Manton, told the young squaddie: ‘A fine is not commensurate with punching a pregnant woman in the stomach.

‘No matter how many drinks you had, you cannot hit a pregnant woman in the stomach.

‘We hope this is put behind you and you’re able to move on.’

The victim is now an adult and is thought to have given birth since but cannot be named for legal reasons.

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